Black Thorn
The Guardian
Chronicles
Black Thorn
By Brandon Killpack
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, or places, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2018 by Brandon Killpack
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
Manufactured in the United States of America
ISBN-13:
978-1720560531
ISBN-10:
1720560536
Dedication
This book is to my wife Shannon for reading each and every page fresh off the press and telling me when the words just didn’t work, my children for being my trial audience and letting me use them as characters. To my father-in-law and uncle for being constantly encouraging, the best of cheerleaders and to all my friends and family who continue to push me ever forward. Finally to my grandmother for reading it first and telling me it was worthy of being in a book, there is no higher praise.
Thank you.
Prologue
Chapter 1 Birthday Beginnings
Chapter 2 The Knight Academy
Chapter 3 Iron And Tears
Chapter 4 No Time For Tea
Chapter 5 Bitter Changes
Chapter 6 From the Pit Of Despair
Chapter 7 A Deadly Report
Chapter 8 Elves
Chapter 9 Battle Plans
Chapter 10 Final Ride Of The Wolf
Chapter 11 Restoration
Chapter 12 The Empire
Chapter 13 Back To The Woods
Chapter 14 The Black Tower
Chapter 15 Unwelcome Surprise
Chapter 16 The Heretic’s Hearing
Chapter 17 The Shepherd
Chapter 18 Sairrin
Chapter 19 The Guardians
About the Author
Prologue
W hen Jarl Adam announced that he would be holding a special festival celebrating the battle for the village of Thornpine, people from all over began to talk and get excited. The Jarl always held a festival in November to celebrate the defeat of the Elves and the winning of the magnificent village. However, this was the thirtieth anniversary of the Jarl’s victory and was something special that deserved some extra attention and as such the Jarl had announced he would have some additional festivities in store that year all leading up to the final night where a famed historian would come and recount the fierce battle. The people eagerly awaited for the day to arrive, hurrying to finish all the work they could so that they could enjoy the week of the festival in its entirety and at leisure.
As the day drew near, merchants could be seen setting up tents and pavilions in the nearby fields. Every day, the smells of freshly cooked meat, bread, and pies would permeate the air and sounds of laughter echoed across the village.
In the village square, people erected pavilions to hold the jugglers, dancer, and storytellers. All these surrounded the White Thornpine tree for which the village was named. The tree was the perfect backdrop for their dramas to unfold, as it had a light luminescent glow at night and dripped the mana of the earth like dew in the mornings. The people of the village and surrounding area were very fond of this tree, as were the Elves before them, and all revered it as a miracle of the Maker.
A dam had something special planned for the final day of the event. While he visited his brother, the king, some months back he chanced upon a sage who had been pouring over some old scrolls that detailed the events of their beloved kingdom Esnela, and even some histories of the whole of Rosenkar. None were what Adam would call riveting, but he acknowledged the importance of preserving their history.
He had learned that the old sage was a self-proclaimed historian of their world and he was looking for some information regarding the battle of Thornpine village.
“You are in luck. I am Jarl Adam, the wolf. I would be more than happy to give you a first-hand account of the events that took place leading up to the sacking of the village.” Adam told the sage, “All I ask in return is that you come to my village in the last week of November and recite what I tell you, err perhaps spicing it up a bit, for the people that is.”
The sage had agreed taking out an unused scroll of parchment and a quill and posed to record the Jarl’s words. When Adam had completed his tale, the sage thanked him profusely promising that he would be delighted to come and perform later in the year.
He smiled to himself thinking about the encounter and how his children would enjoy the story almost as much as he would. He rose from his desk and set aside the report Larson had given him, detailing the confirmed vendors and entertainment for the festival. He was happy to see that the sage had made it with time to spare. Yes, this would be a night to remember. As this thought crossed his mind, he wondered aloud to the empty room,
“It’s almost time. I wonder where those wayward children of mine have gotten to?”
L evi, Gideon, and Katrina were running from tent to tent examining all the goods the merchants had laid out with a buyer’s eye. They all had a little pocket money and was eager to spend it on some trinket or bobble. Their father had waited until the last day of the festival before he would allow them to spend their money and a week was far too long to let the little coins burn holes in their pouches.
“I’m going to buy a wooden sword and shield so I can play knight with Sir Kallen.” Gideon proclaimed as his brother examined a massive leather-bound tome titled Changing the World.
“Oooh, I want to get one too!” Katrina exclaimed. Levi rolled his eyes at his younger siblings.
“That is such a waste of time, what good can come from beating a bunch of sticks together? You really should do something practical with your money like investing in a good book, or maybe a lovely new quill or even, oh biscuits!” Levi broke off spying some freshly baked biscuits that a baker in the opposite stall had just laid out, sending the smell of melting chocolate wafting in the air.
The three ran to the baker, who knew he had the children just where he wanted them, offering them the whole lot, for the modest sum of one gold piece.
“There is no possible way those biscuits are worth a gold piece, maybe three copper, but it’s nowhere near a gold piece.” Levi proclaimed with a sniff as he stuck his nose up at the sweets. The baker was taken aback; the biscuits usually sold for a copper for three and three pieces would buy the lot.
“Good lad, you surely don’t understand the value of money. These are sold nine for a gold piece. If you don’t have the money, then please leave and let other buyers come to my stall.”
Levi was about to answer when a bear of a man stepped behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“The Jarl’s son knows more about the value of money than most children his age and better than most merchants for that matter.”
“Sir Kallen!” Gideon and Katrina cried as they clung to the knight, hugging him from both sides.
“T-the Jarl’s children! I-I didn’t know. I would never try to cheat nobility I promise.”
Kallen gave the man a look that sent him shrinking back. “See that you don’t cheat any of the people of this village.”
“Yes sir, of course not sir!” The merchant said bowing and groveling to them.
Levi stepped forward and scooped up the biscuits, depositing two copper coins on the counter of the stall.
“Um young sir, its three coppers for the lot.”
Levi looked at the man with scorn, “I’ll keep the one for your audacity.”
&
nbsp; Gideon and Katrina looked confused,
“What does audacity mean?” Gideon asked stepping close to Levi and examining the biscuits. Levi gave his brother a sly grin,
“Audacity, dear brother is when silly merchants are bold enough to try and pull one over on an unsuspecting buyer. Honestly, the impudence of the man is astounding.” As they walked away with Sir Kallen trailing close behind them, the lasts words the merchant heard was the little girl asking her brother,
“What does impudence mean?” privately he wondered the same.
A dam found his children with his trusted knight Sir Kallen. Levi was sitting under the Thornpine, seeking refuge from the lightly falling snow, reading a book that was the size of the boy’s torso. Gideon and Katrina were fiercely attacking Kallen with wooden swords and shields. The poor knight was blocking each blow with a wooden sword as well that was comically small in the giant’s hands.
“Kallen, are you going to let them beat you? Honestly, where is your honor? Being beaten up by children.” Adam asked the knight. Kallen, momentarily distracted, received two smart whacks on the shins.
“HAHAHA, now don’t go beating up my best knight you two. Come, all four of you, it is time we eat, for tonight we will hear a wondrous tale!” He led them back to the Keep where they filled their bellies on the generous spread the Jarl had put out for the people who worked there.
Later that night the three children sat huddled together under a large bearskin blanket on the ground in front of their father. Sir Kallen sat at the right of the Jarl, relaxing and nursing a mug of beer, while Adam was in a high backed wooden chair with golden adornments. The Thornpine was glowing pleasantly beside them giving a mystic backdrop to their entertainment. For they had enjoyed the singers and the fire eaters, but now they awaited the wizened sage to come and entice them with the tale of the Great Battle.
The old man hobbled forward, his cane scraping the cobbles underfoot and his cloak billowing lightly in the breeze. He took center stage looking around at the people gathered. He gave a great bow to Jarl Adam, his long white beard sweeping the ground.
“For one thousand years there was war. For one thousand years, man and Elf put each other to the sword. For one thousand years blood was spilled over a cause long since forgotten. All that ended thirty years ago and today we remember the fallen on both sides. We celebrate the warriors that made the peace we live in possible. Countless died, and even more, have left us since the fighting has ended. First I ask a moment of silence to remember them.”
He bowed his head and all around him went silent. After a minute a sad smile creased his lips.
“Let us remember our fallen, the beloved Lady Alexia who perished a little over five years ago. Beloved wife to Jarl Adam and mother of his children, without her Thornpine, never would have been taken and thus the war never ended. We celebrate her as our hero.
We must also give great thanks to Sir Kallen, who saved the Lady Alexia and our Jarl Adam when their need was most dire. Finally, we thank Jarl Adam the Wolf for all he has done to ensure that the fighting ended. Now I will tell you of their struggle, the battle that ended it all. Let me set the scene.
It was on a chilled November night very similar to this night. The village of Thornpine the backdrop of this fearsome battle, its elegant houses of wood and stone gleaming in the distance and the fabled keep made from stone sang out of the earth.
The great kingdom of Esnela had rallied together all the Human kingdoms to finish this terrible conflict. Strong was the Elven Empire, even when the whole race of man was against it.
On the front lines marched our young Jarl, known only then as Knight Adam and at his side his faithful shield maiden Alexia. For three days and nights, they laid siege to the village and the army stationed there. Finally seeing a break in the wall a small band of warriors surged through seeking to put an end to their enemy’s leader and thus end the war.
Adam led these warriors, and when death asked for their souls, he laughed at the request and sent death away. For none in the band fell while under the protection of Adam. Deep into the village, they ventured to kill all who stood in their way, until Adam and Alexia became separated from the group. Surrounded they were, with Adam gravely wounded. Alexia was trying to heal him when a group of Elves found where they hid. It was at this moment when their hope was failing that a young boy leapt from the shadows smiting an Elf in the throat. Like a wild beast was Kallen of Woodsedge, that he was able to fend off the group long enough for Adam to regain strength. If it weren’t for that boy, who lied about his age and followed Adam into the brink the war would have been lost.
The bodies fell quickly then. A fully healed Adam, the skilled Alexia, and the beastly Kallen fought towards the center of town. This very spot where we sit now is where Adam and the Elven King Radavas and ended this conflict. But Radavas would not give up so quickly; he sent the battalion that he had on hand to crush the trio who dared fall behind enemy lines. This action was his great downfall.
During the conflict, an elven spearmen smote Alexia in the side, a seemingly fatal wound. This evoked a demon like rage to fester in Adam and when he released it none but the king were left standing. He sent his mana scorching outwards, setting aflame all who surrounded him. In an act that had never been seen before he savagely killed the remaining Elves.
It was when he reached the king that the tide turned. Radavas had fled to the gardens beside the Keep. Soon he was surrounded. So in exchange for letting him go, he would save Alexia. The King was as good as his word. He called out to his soldiers to end the fighting and retreat, and he laid his glowing hands upon the wounded Alexia and brought her back from the brink. Radavas then made a pact with Adam sealing it with blood upon the glowing Thornpine, promising an end to the war if only the Elves could retreat in peace. Adam promised not burn the city or the god tree as was the custom at the time. Adam then sent the Elf King and his people on their way. Thus the knight Adam sealed the most significant achievement in history, putting a close to the thousand year war.
Not long after Adam was made Jarl and a name that was coined during the fight stuck to him. The Elves said he fought like a wolf, and so Adam became Adam the wolf.”
The people clapped and cheered as the sage ended his tale. Adam thanked the sage for the recital. The sage gave a theatrical bow and faded back into the people.
Chapter 1 Birthday Beginnings
I T was the sun’s fault, or so he would tell Kallen. The heat of the day had been so stifling, far too hot for a beautiful spring day in April, that Gideon had no choice but to hunker down in the shade of the Thornpine and fall asleep. So deep was his sleep that he didn’t hear the calls of his sister, Katrina until she walked up to him and gave him a swift kick in the side.
“Ouch, what on earth do you think you’re doing, going around and kicking people like that?” Gideon asked as he massaged his side. Looking up at his sister’s stern face he stifled any further complaint. Her face had turned the same shade of red as a ripe tomato, which he was positive wasn’t natural and possibly unhealthy, at least for him.
“You! You missed training today! How could you? You threw off the whole training session! What do you have to say for yourself?
“Did I really?” Gideon asked drowsily.
Katrina huffed, “Yes goblin brain, you DID, and now you are almost late for your birthday dinner. Father sent me out looking for you. I have been searching for over an hour.” She fumed, “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Well, it was the sun’s fault.” This answer was clearly not a reply she had anticipated as it left her momentarily speechless. Gideon sensing her weakness said, “So what did you bring me for my birthday?”
Katrina blinked, “What? Oh it’s back at the keep, and I’m not telling you what it is, it’s a surprise.” She turned and started up the cobbled street that led from the square to the keep. Gideon hopped up from his spot and ran to match step with her. When he appeared at her shoulder, she glared
at him.
“So why did you miss training?”
“Dear sister, I told you, I missed it because of the sun.”
Katrina rolled her eyes, “Fine,” She said, “Don’t tell me, maybe I will just keep your birthday present for myself, or perhaps one of the guards would appreciate it.”
“You know that’s mean, even for you.” Katrina stopped cocking her hip to the side and stared, clearly waiting to hear the truth.
“Oh all right, I had finished all my morning chores and was walking to the field for training when I passed under the shade of the Thornpine, and I thought to myself how nice it would be to take a quick cat nap in its shade. The heat had been so exhausting that it really seemed like a fine idea. Honestly, though I didn’t think I would sleep for this long.”
Katrina gave a deep and somewhat irritated sigh, and Gideon could feel another lecture coming on.
“Gideon, you’re considered a man today, do you realize what that means? A week from now you’ll be at the Academy training to be a knight. So you’re going to need all the one on one time with Kallen you can get. You cannot afford to miss your training!”
“You know, next year, when you go through your own coming of age, I am going to remind everyone you were born an adult and thus don’t really need a coming of age party. Besides I’m already one of the best swordsmen in the village, I heard Kallen telling father that himself. Err-was Kallen very upset that I missed training?”
Katrina smirked at her brother, “Feeling guilty, are we? No not really and it actually worked out in my favor. Gave me a chance to train with Kallen by myself for a change. Remember I plan on following you to Evenstar next year.” Her smile faded, and Gideon nudged her shoulder.
“I’m sure father will let you join the Shield Maidens so don’t worry.”
“Come on,” She said changing the subject. “We need to get to the Keep.”
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